Scottish Executive

Anti-Social Behaviour

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the procedure is for dealing with anti-social behaviour in under 16-year-olds.

Cathy Jamieson: Anti-social behaviour among young people requires a range of responses and co-ordinated effort at a local and national level. In addition to local action, there are a number of national initiatives that will reduce such behaviour, for example, implementation of the Discipline Task Group’s recommendations, the 10-Point Plan to reduce youth crime and the New Opportunities Fund’s £21 million Active Steps programme. If anti-social behaviour is causing concern to the community, the young person may be reported to the police or referred directly to the children’s reporter.

Debt

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what it intends to do to aid people burdened with multiple debt in each year to 2005-06, as referred to in target 11 in the justice section of Building a Better Scotland – Spending Proposals 2003-06: What the money buys .

Mr Jim Wallace: The Debt Arrangement and Advice (Scotland) Bill, currently at Stage 2, provides the framework for a national statutory debt arrangement scheme for those with multiple debt. The consultation document Enforcement of Civil Obligations in Scotland  sought consultees' views on the detail of the scheme. The responses to this consultation are currently being analysed by independent consultants. The debt arrangement scheme will be implemented by way of regulations, as soon as possible, taking account of respondents’ views.

  To ensure that those in multiple debt have ready access to the necessary money advice to negotiate debt payment programmes, the Executive is already making available, through local authorities, an additional £3 million a year for the provision of local money advice services across Scotland. Plans from local authorities indicate that this will result in no less than an additional 100 full-time equivalent money advisers.

Education

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many newly-qualified (a) primary and (b) secondary school teachers have taken up posts in each local authority area in each of the last three years.

Nicol Stephen: The information available on how many newly qualified (a) primary and (b) secondary school teachers have taken up posts in each local authority area in each of the last three years is shown in the following table:

  Initial Teacher Training Graduates and Diplomates Teaching in Scotland, by Local Authority Area1 and Sector, 1998-99 to 2000-01

  
  
1998-99 1999-2000
2000-01  Total
Primary Secondary
Total Primary
Secondary Total
Primary Secondary
 Total 873
410 463
1,212 567
645 1,185
516 669
 Scotland unknown
502 225
277 583
298 285
378 180
198  City of Aberdeen
28 14
14 32
7 25
16 6
10  Aberdeenshire
41 18
23 46
16 30
59 20
39  Angus
* *
9 *
* 12
12 6
6  Argyll and Bute
* *
0 *
* 0
6 *
*  Clackmannanshire
* *
* *
0 *
6 *
*  Dumfries and 
Galloway *
6 *
* *
9 *
* 14
 City of Dundee
* 7
* 28
10 18
14 7
7  East Ayrshire
* *
* *
0 *
* *
15  East Dunbartonshire
* 0
* *
* *
* *
6  East Lothian
* *
* 23
11 12
20 10
10  East Renfrewshire
* *
* *
* 6
* *
14  City of Edinburgh
78 40
38 112
57 55
112 58
54  Falkirk
9 *
* 20
12 8
33 18
15  Fife
40 24
16 52
22 30
79 38
41  City of Glasgow
18 6
12 58
25 33
89 30
59  Highland
* 11
* 20
8 12
23 12
11  Inverclyde
* *
* *
6 *
11 0
11  Midlothian
6 *
* 17
8 9
15 8
7  Moray
* *
8 *
* 7
8 *
*  North Ayrshire
* 0
* *
* *
* *
6  North Lanarkshire
* *
* 37
15 22
42 13
29  Orkney
* *
* *
0 *
* *
*  Perth and Kinross
18 10
8 7
* *
30 13
17  Renfrewshire
6 *
* *
* 10
24 10
14  Scottish Borders
* 9
* 13
7 6
19 8
11  Shetland
6 *
* *
* 0
* *
*  South Ayrshire
* 0
* 0
0 0
9 0
9  South Lanarkshire
* 0
* *
12 *
33 19
14  Stirling
* *
7 *
* 9
17 11
6  West Dunbartonshire
0 0
0 7
* *
* *
8  West Lothian
* *
* 35
16 19
36 17
19  Western Isles
6 *
* *
0 *
* *
* 

  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

  Notes:

  1. This is the local authority area of the teaching facility of the graduate and or diplomate.

  *Due to the Data Protection Act numbers greater than or equal to one but less than or equal to five cannot be calculated or disclosed from data.

Education

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of children left school with less than three standard grades in each of the last three years.

Nicol Stephen: The information requested is given in table number 1 of Scottish School Leavers and their Qualifications: 2000-01 published by the Scottish Executive on 16 July 2002. A copy of the news release relating to this publication, which includes the relevant information, is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 22710).

Education

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to promote information technology literacy amongst children.

Nicol Stephen: We are planning to promote information technology literacy amongst children in a number of ways: by creating a schools intranet to enable better communications and sharing of information between schools; by creating exciting digital content for children to use; by training 600 Information and Communications Technology (ICT) experts across all 32 education authorities to manage the further integration of ICT into the curriculum.

  ICT is a core skill and new ICT 5-14 national guidelines were issued in December 2000. Their aim is to develop ICT capability, provide opportunities for ICT learning within other areas of the curriculum and harness the potential to demonstrate creativity, enterprising activity and innovation.

European Union

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) contributions and (b) responses it has received in respect of its national debate on the Future of Europe and, of these, how many have been posted on its website about the Future of Europe under (i) "noticeboard" and (ii) "contributions".

Mr Jim Wallace: As at 11 October, 28 responses had been received. Three contributions have been posted on the "Noticeboard" on the Executive’s Future of Europe website, and five have been posted under "Contributions". The remainder are either not available electronically or sought further clarification and were not final responses to the consultation. In addition, forty Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) were represented at three seminars organised on the Executive’s behalf by the Scottish Civic Forum.

European Union

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer by the First Minister to the question by Mr John Swinney during the point of order on 30 May 2002 ( Official Report , c 12522), whether it will list each European Union Council of Ministers meeting where Scottish ministers have led the delegation in particular discussions; when each such meeting took place; what the topic of discussion was, and which minister was involved.

Mr Jim Wallace: The detail of exchanges within EU Council of Ministers meetings is confidential. The agenda and conclusions of the relevant meetings are available on the Europa website at: www.europa.eu.int.

European Union

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28385 by Mr Jim Wallace on 10 September 2002, why it did not detail in that answer how many times, and with regard to what appointments, within European Union institutions it has been consulted by Her Majesty’s Government since May 1999.

Mr Jim Wallace: The answer given to question S1W-28385 reflects the confidential nature of discussions between the Scottish Executive and the UK Government regarding these appointments.

Justice

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many accused persons have absconded while on bail in each of the last 10 years, broken down by category of charge.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information requested is not held centrally.

Justice

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what pilot projects have been funded wholly or partly by its Justice Department in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.

Mr Jim Wallace: The following table gives details of the range of pilot projects on different aspects of the justice system in each local authority area. In many cases pilot funding has ceased when the service has gone on to be part of mainstream service provision.

  
 Project
Local Authority 1997-98
1998-99 1999-2000
2000-01 2001-02
 Integration of Scottish Criminal Justice 
Information Systems (ISCJIS), Glasgow District Court - development of Police Fixed 
Penalties Glasgow City 
x  Integration 
of Scottish Criminal Justice Information Systems (ISCJIS), Glasgow District Court 
- development of links to SCRO and COPFS Glasgow 
City
x x
 Integration of Scottish Criminal Justice 
Information Systems (ISCJIS), Pilot project to develop links between criminal 
justice social work, Sheriff Courts and SCRO
East Dunbartonshire  
x x
x x
 Integration of Scottish Criminal Justice 
Information Systems (ISCJIS), District Court Link - Aberdeen District Court piloted 
the link to allow electronic exchange of information between District Courts Procurators 
Fiscal and SCRO Aberdeen City   
x x 
 Integration of Scottish Criminal Justice 
Information Systems (ISCJIS), Pilot in Aberdeen District Court to assess Court 
Officer Availability System (COAS) in fixing trial dates and citing police witnesses
Aberdeen City 
x  Integration 
of Scottish Criminal Justice Information Systems (ISCJIS), DVLA Pilot - to allow 
District Court electronic access to DVLA records and to send information electronically 
to DVLA  West Lothian
x  Apex, Q10, 
get offenders back to work project Fife 
x x
x  
 Drugs and Leisure, to deter young 
people from drugs and offer them healthier pursuits
Aberdeen City   
x  
Dumfries and Galloway   
x x
 Glasgow City   
x  
South Lanarkshire   
x 
 Freagarrach
Clackmannanshire x
x x  
 Falkirk
x x
x  
 Stirling 
x x
x  
 Communities that Care
City of Edinburgh  
x x
x  Glasgow City 
  
x x
x  Glasgow Pilot 
Drugs Court Glasgow City
x  Restriction 
of Liberty Orders Pilot Project- Hamilton Sheriff Court
North Lanarkshire 
x x
x x
 South Lanarkshire 
x x
x x
 Restriction of Liberty Orders Pilot Project-Peterhead 
Sheriff Court Aberdeenshire 
x x
x x
 Restriction of Liberty Orders Pilot 
Project-Aberdeen Sheriff Court Aberdeen City 
x x
x x
 Aberdeenshire 
x x
x x
 Witness Service
South Ayrshire x
x   
 South Lanarkshire
x x   
 Fife  x
x   
 Diversion From Prosecution
Aberdeen City 
x x  
 City of Edinburgh 
x x  
 Clackmannanshire  
x x  
 Dumfries and Galloway 
x x  
 East Ayrshire 
x x  
 Glasgow City 
x x  
 Highland 
x x  
 Inverclyde 
x x  
 Midlothian 
x x  
 Perth and Kinross 
x x  
 North Ayrshire 
x x  
 North Lanarkshire 
x x  
 Scottish Borders 
x x  
 South Lanarkshire 
x x  
 West Dunbartonshire 
x x  
 Orkney 
x x  
 Shetlands 
x x  
 Eilean Siar, Comhairle nan 
 Bail Information and Supervision
City of Edinburgh 
x x  
 Glasgow City 
x x  
 Midlothian 
x x  
 Drug Treatment and Testing Orders
Glasgow City  
x x
x  Fife   
x x
 Public Defence Solicitors Office, Edinburgh
City of Edinburgh  x
x x
x x
 In Court Adviser - Edinburgh Sheriff Court
City of Edinburgh  x
x x
x x
 Streetwork Edinburgh
City of Edinburgh 
x  Citizens 
Advice Scotland, covering Barra, Caithness, Harris, Lewis, Moray, Nairn, Ross 
and Cromarty, Skye and Lochalsh, Uist Eilean 
Siar, Comhairle nan
x  Highland 
 Moray  
 West Lothian Advice Partnership
West Lothian
x

Legislation

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29050 by Mr Jim Wallace on 20 September 2002, whether it will detail any occasions on which the (a) dispute resolution procedures under the bilateral concordats at (i) senior official and (ii) ministerial level have been used and (b) Joint Ministerial Committee has intervened since May 1999, detailing what the outcome was and which ministers were involved.

Mr Jim Wallace: There has been no recourse to the dispute resolution procedures under the bilateral concordats. Neither has the Joint Ministerial Committee had to intervene to resolve a dispute since May 1999.

Police

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what communication it has had with the Northern Constabulary regarding the contracting-out of medical care for crime victims.

Mr Jim Wallace: The only recent contact with Northern Constabulary on this matter has been in connection with a number of parliamentary questions: S1W-27713 on 14 August 2002, 27714 on 16 September 2002 and 27715 on 14 August 2002, which are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:   http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search . As indicated at that time, the provision of police surgeons is an operational matter for chief constables.

Police

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what services are under consideration for out-sourcing in the review of all common police services.

Mr Jim Wallace: Work on the review has been taken forward jointly by representatives from the Scottish Executive, the Police Associations, the Police Authority Conveners’ Forum and Unison. Those involved have examined options for the delivery of a wide range of police support services grouped under the broad headings of finance and procurement; information management; forensic science services; and human resources. I am advised that the option of out-sourcing was considered alongside other options in a number of cases. I expect shortly to see the initial recommendations emerging from the review work. In the interim, I understand that Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland has reported that the work has already revealed opportunities for better co-ordination, joint working and challenging the current cost of some service provision.

Police

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many DNA records are currently held by each police force.

Mr Jim Wallace: DNA records are not kept by forces but are held on the Scottish DNA database, managed by Tayside Forensic Laboratory. As at 30 September 2002, the Scottish database currently held 117,354 DNA profiles from known individuals and 2,691 profiles from crime scene stains (DNA recovered from a crime scene where there is no named suspect). The following table shows the number of profiles submitted by each force:

  
  Known 
Profiles Crime Scene Stains
 Central Scotland
12,421 405
 Dumfries and Galloway
2,527 69
 Fife 13,287
264  Grampian
8,938 354
 Lothian and Borders
16,776 306
 Northern
7,515 73
 Strathclyde
44,496 580
 Tayside
11,394 640
 Total 117,354
2,691

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all payments made under paragraph 6.3 of the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd for the Design, Construction, Management and Financing of a Prison at Kilmarnock , including the dates on which the payments were made and the reasons for the payment.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  There have been no such payments.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all costs incurred in employing an independent engineer under paragraph 6.3.1. of the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd for the Design, Construction, Management and Financing of a Prison at Kilmarnock , detailing what the costs were in respect of.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  There have been no such costs.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all notices it has received under paragraph 6.6. of the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd for the Design, Construction, Management and Financing of a Prison at Kilmarnock and the dates on which the notices were received.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  There have been no such notices.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-26897 and S1W-27654 by Mr Jim Wallace on 3 July 2002 and 13 August 2002 respectively, where a standard for health care in a prison has been recorded as "partially achieved", what progress this implies has been made in working to achieve all aspects of the standard for (a) 100% of prisoners having their weight recorded on each admission to prison and their height recorded on their initial admission to prison, (b) the provision of basic equipment within each consulting room, minimum size of 10.8m2, in the health centre which shall include an examination couch, a mercury sphygmomanometer, scales, desk, three chairs, examination/treatment lamp, stethoscope, eye charts, ophthalmoscope, auroscope and a copy of BNF in 100% of cases, (c) the provision of adequate facilities for visiting psychiatrists in 100% of cases, (d) the referral of routine cases to the psychiatrist being seen within four weeks in 100% of cases, (e) the referral of urgent cases to the psychiatrist being seen within seven days in 100% of cases, (f) emergency (psychiatric) cases being seen within 24 hours in 100% of cases, (g) the transfer to hospital following completion of a Section under the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984 being effected within the timescale agreed by the health care staff and the forensic psychiatrist in 100% of cases, (h) health centre staff being given 24 hours' notice of proposed transfer on 100% of occasions, (i) 100% of prisoners aged 55 or over and in prison for more than four weeks being offered a urinalysis check if not carried out within the last three years and (j) 100% of prisoners aged 35 and over and in prison for more than four weeks being offered the opportunity to have their blood pressure recorded if not carried out within the last five years.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The recording of "partially achieved" implies that the establishment has either met some parts of a standard containing multiple criteria, but not all, or has achieved at least 50% compliance in working towards the target set, but has not yet fully met the standard.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25707 by Mr Jim Wallace on 15 August 2002, why the offer received after 3 May 2000 for the buildings of the former HM Prison Penninghame was considered acceptable.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Having established the actual market price and based on the advice of professional advisers, that this was the best deal that could reasonably be expected.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-25568 and S1W-27720 by Mr Jim Wallace on 16 May and 14 August 2002 respectively, in regard to HM Prison Kilmarnock, why no performance points were incurred in year 1 of the operation of the prison for incidents of hostage taking, given that there were three disciplinary offences of detention of a person against his will recorded in that year.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  There were no incidents of hostage taking in year one at HM Prison Kilmarnock. Three charges against prisoners of having been in possession of unauthorised articles were incorrectly recorded, after the events, as having been for detaining a person against his will.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any member of staff of the Scottish Prison Service has been offered and/or has received in the last three years any enhancement of salary for concluding or progressing the contracting-out of the medical service in prisons and, if so, whether it will provide details.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  No. The SPS in line with Government pay policy operates a system of performance related pay. Separate schemes apply to staff within the main staff group, nursing staff and those within the Senior Civil Service.

  Personal performance targets are agreed between an individual and their line manager. These targets are related to the role the individual performs and linked to the organisation’s aims and objectives. In respect of any contracting out process this would only be one of a number of elements of the overall performance assessment for an appraisal period.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any member of staff of the Scottish Prison Service has been offered and/or has received in the last three years any enhancement of salary for concluding or progressing the contracting-out of social work services in prisons and, if so, whether it will provide details.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  No. The SPS in line with Government pay policy operates a system of performance related pay. Separate schemes apply to staff within the main staff group, nursing staff and those within the Senior Civil Service.

  Personal performance targets are agreed between an individual and their line manager. These targets are related to the role the individual performs and linked to the organisation’s aims and objectives. In respect of any contracting out process this would only be one of a number of elements of the overall performance assessment for an appraisal period.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any member of staff of the Scottish Prison Service has been offered and/or has received in the last six years any enhancement of salary for concluding or progressing contracts for private prisons and, if so, whether it will provide details.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  Yes. The SPS, in line with Government pay policy operates a system of performance related pay. Separate schemes apply to staff within the main staff group, nursing staff and those within the Senior Civil Service.

  Personal performance targets are agreed between an individual and their line manager. These targets are related to the role the individual performs and linked to the SPS aims and objectives. In respect of any contracting out process this would only be one in a number of elements of the overall performance assessment for an appraisal period.

  The SPS in line with other departments also operates a Special Bonus Scheme to recognise and reward staff for exceptional performance, either individually or as part of a team. Such awards are non-pensionable and non-consolidated. The members of the Custodial Contracts Team were awarded such bonuses in 1997. The size of individual awards was £500.

Prison Service

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been (a) allocated for and (b) spent on drug rehabilitation at HM Prison Cornton Vale in (i) 1999-2000, (ii) 2000-01, (iii) 2001-02 and (iv) 2002-03 to date.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Due to the multiplicity of the tasks involved it is not possible to disaggregate funding allocation or spend.

Prison Service

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) prevalence and (b) incidence of new cases of hepatitis C was in each prison in each of the last three years.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The information requested is not held centrally.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27863 by Mr Jim Wallace on 21 August 2002, whether the records kept by the Scottish Prison Service Incident Reporting Procedures for HM Prison Kilmarnock show the numbers of (a) serious, (b) minor and (c) no injury assaults separately from each other.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  No.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Prison Service has sold any land in Scotland over the last five years and, if so, what value was obtained for each sale.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  Surplus Land Sold by SPS:

   
Financial Year  Sale Price
 1997-98
£500  1997-98
£32,000  1998-99
£21,000  1998-99
£2,000  1998-99
£42,000  1998-99
£425,000  1998-99
£205,000  2001-02
£1,000  2001-02
£7,000"

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28728 by Mr Jim Wallace on 26 September 2002, why the answer did not give full details of each notice received.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Because there was only one such notice and that was superseded by Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited obtaining the insurance required.

Scottish Executive Expenditure

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its spending proposals for 2003-06 are for external affairs.

Mr Jim Wallace: Decisions on future spending details for external affairs have still to be finalised.

Secure Units

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the report by the Secure Accommodation Advisory Group which has concluded that there is a lack of evidence to support an increase in secure accommodation places will be published.

Cathy Jamieson: We will publish all relevant information when we announce our next steps shortly.

Young People

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive,  with regard to section 2.4 of Working Together for Scotland: A Programme for Government, what progress has been made towards achieving the aim to reduce re-referrals to hearings for children and young people on offence grounds by 10% by 2004.

Cathy Jamieson: We are implementing the 10-point action plan announced on 27 June, building on existing strategies to reduce youth crime and disorder.